English heavyweights (Arsenal and Man Utd) kicked off the start of their respective Europa league openers with contrasting performances albeit a win nevertheless.
Arsenal beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 on Thursday to enjoy a perfect start to their UEFA Europa League campaign. And Mason Greenwood was on target for the Red Devils in a 1-0 win over FC Astana at Old Trafford.
Arsenal 3-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
1. The kids are (more than) alright
Unai Emery handed youngsters Joe Willock, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka starts against Eintracht Frankfurt and was rewarded with impressive displays from all three.
Willock opened the scoring for the Gunners with a deflected shot, his fourth goal in 11 senior matches, and brought energy to the Arsenal attack.
However, the day really belonged to 18-year-old Saka, who scored and produced two assists in his first start of the season for the Gunners.
2. Excellent Emi Martinez
Frankfurt created so many chances against Arsenal, albeit not as many as Watford did. They let fly with X shots, hitting the target X times yet Martinez was always equal to whatever they could throw at it. He made simple saves and super saves, but did everything with an incredible assurance to secure the club’s second clean sheet of the season.
If the Europa League is to be a proving ground for Arsenal’s young players then they will at least know that Emiliano Martinez will provide a solid base for them to play from.
3. This is the same old Arsenal
Of course, the cold bucket of water that must be doused on everyone’s heads is the fact that Frankfurt made this very, very easy for Arsenal.
And at the same time they rained shots down on the Arsenal goal. The German side had 24 shots, to go with Watford’s 31 at the weekend. That means Arsenal have allowed their last two opponents to have a combined 50 shots, fifty shots, at their goal.
Man Utd 1-0 Astana
1. Greenwood star of the show
United laboured to their 1-0 win, and struggled badly to dominate the game in the manner expected of them. Although they created a few chances they were not down to good play, nor were they taken (save for Greenwood’s goal). They should have broken down FC Astana with ease, but instead looked bereft of ideas after just 15 minutes.
Much is expected of Greenwood, despite being just 17. He has been compared to Robin van Persie, and there were shades of the Dutchman when Greenwood chopped onto his right foot in the box and fired home after 73 minutes. In doing so, he saved us all.
He saved Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his teammates from having to deal with not beating FC Astana at home, a game believed to be a banker in the Group L.
2. Rashford squanders chances
There’s been plenty of debate whether Marcus Rashford is a natural goalscorer with former United star Michael Owen claiming the Old Trafford youngster isn’t “obsessed” with goals.
And those who believe Rashford will never be a 20 or 25 goal a season number nine were given more ammunition as the England star missed two great chances in the opening 20 minutes against Astana.
3. Ole focused on the Premier League
There were first starts too for Phil Jones, Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo and Fred. Realistically, none of them are near the first team picture, highlighting Solskjaer’s willingness to keep his first-choice players well rested.
Solskjaer knows that the priority for United is to return to the Champions League as soon possible, and playing Premier League games with a rested side is the best way to achieve that.
